The Concord Consortium CONTENTS Realizing the educational promise of technology Volume 4, No. 3

Ten Things You Need To Know: Advice for creating @ quality online professional ONCORD.ORG development C Cynthia McIntyre and Bonnie Elbaum 1 Ten Things You Need To Know Perspective: Ice Machines, Steamboats Advice for Creating Quality Online Professional Development and Technology in Education Robert Tinker 2 by Cynthia McIntyre Others can learn from our certificate program. Profes- Variety is the and Bonnie Elbaum mistakes and successes. For sional development points or 2 spice of life Why Don’t Face-to-Face with contributions from starters, here are ten things to CE units have motivational A wide variety of Teaching Strategies Work Concord Consortium staff think about when developing value but are not as effective activities provides a in the Virtual Classroom? online professional develop- balanced approach to learn- How to avoid the as programs that are more “question mill” hile the goals ment for teachers. generous in their points or re- ing professional development are different quire less effort. In the case of content online. Participants Sarah Haavind 3 Say “I do” for each pro- 1 our Virtual High School™ should be assigned a mix of W fessional Commitment is two-semester online profes- online and offline activities— Facilitating Online Learning: Effective development NetCourse that important. If some- sional development course, offline activities can be as strategies for moderators we teach, the pedagogy and one else (e.g., a principal or the completion incentive is simple as reading from a text- Book Review 4 methodology are similar. Four technology coordinator) signs clearer: the course is a pre- book or as intricate as work- years ago, when we first up teachers for an online requisite for teachers wanting ing with a CBL (Calculator Beam Me Up, Scottie! began offering a NetCourse course, completion rates to participate in VHS™. If a Based Lab). In several of our Handheld computers on how to bring inquiry into plummet. Teachers have to teacher failed to complete the NetCourses, participants are extend the range of have a strong personal moti- wireless communication science and math classrooms, course, the school’s VHS par- asked to sum up their experi- in school the effectiveness of online vation to participate—for ex- ticipation might be put into ences with a creative final ample, the content is clear Stephen Bannasch 6 professional development was jeopardy. Having a clear mo- project that can take the form largely untested and and compelling or they are tivation for signing up is im- of anything from a poem to a receiving graduate credit or JASON Academy unproven. The medium was portant. Teachers sign up (or visual essay. Because the New online courses for in its infancy. Our course was they have paid tuition. In our are signed up) for many differ- online environment is heavily teachers support science one of the first large-scale first online professional devel- ent reasons, and in districts weighted towards the lan- education 7 efforts to deliver online pro- opment course, INTEC, many that provide the right incen- guage arts (in that reading teachers thought they were and writing skills are key to a The Future of Handhelds in fessional development to tives, the completion rates are signing up for a “technology” Education: A conversation teachers, and its successes higher. student’s success), a variety of with Palm, Inc. and failures raised awareness course, not a course on the On the other hand, don’t online and offline activities, Carolyn Staudt and in the education community pedagogy of inquiry, because ask for too much. If the particularly those that tap into Mike Lorian 8 about using the Internet for they were signed up by their NetCourse is long (INTEC was delivery of professional devel- technology coordinators. The 26 weeks) the commitment (continued on page 5) Telecommunications opment. Since then we have ensuing confusion and disap- can be overwhelming. Shorter Project for Math Education pointment was reflected in Funded: Online video case gone on to develop other courses (no more than 12 or studies provide interactive NetCourses in online course the low overall completion 15 weeks) create higher professional development development and moderation rate. On the other hand, of completion rates and Alvaro Galvis 10 of online discussions. those participants who paid more flexibility for teach- We have come to recog- for graduate credit, 71% com- ers. They can finish the WWW Resources nize, through our experience, pleted the practicum. Of the course before other priori- URLs for this issue 11 some key ingredients to suc- 51% who were receiving ties take over. cessful online professional continuing education credits, InquiryWorks! Real development. Through feed- the completion rate was 74%. Teachers, Real Stories back from evaluators, teach- But overall, we found that Book Announcement 12 ers and our own observations, providing course credits has a we have also recognized greater motivational appeal if some things we did wrong. associated with a degree or Pg. 8 The Concord Consortium The Concord Consortium Perspective Editor Robert F. Tinker Ice Machines, Steamboats and Technology in Education Managing Editor Lee McDavid Robert Tinker

Every revolutionary technology The delay is inevitable because structur- fold increase in performance since 1965 @CONCORD is published biannually starts with a whimper. Its full revolution- al changes are needed for the new tech- and a million-fold increase from today. by The Concord Consortium, a ary impact is realized only later after nology. In the case of ice machines, uni- One would think that the enormous nonprofit educational research and fundamental structural changes are versal access to electricity and lower advantages technology has brought to development organization dedicated to educational innovation through made to accom- costs through mass production were business would be reflected in educa- creative technologies. modate the new needed before everyone could buy a tion. But in spite of the decades that

Copyright ©2000 The Concord technology. refrigerator. In the case of steamboats, computers have been in schools, we Consortium. All rights reserved. The first ice- deeper harbors, new construction tech- have yet to see the revolution they Noncommercial reproduction is making machines niques, and railroads to supply coal and could cause in learning. Educators are encouraged, provided proper credit is were used to move cargo were needed before large still delivering block ice made by ice given. Virtual High School and make ice for ice- VHS are registered trademarks and steamers made sense. machines, still using steam only in the In spite of the Teachers Learning Conference is a boxes. Once or There is a dawning realization that doldrums. This is because business decades that trademark of The Concord twice a week the the current economic boom has tech- competition rewards improvements computers have Consortium. ice company nology to thank for the structural while education is organized to con- been in schools, We occasionally make our postal delivered a block changes it has caused in business. serve and pass on the best of the old. In we have yet to see mailing list available to organizations of ice to your Productivity is up, businesses are far less addition, education is highly labor- we think are of interest to our the revolution they home and you put hierarchical, and financial markets have intensive, and the cost of labor has been readers. If you do not want your could cause in address distributed in this way, it in your ice box. been democratized. But the technolo- bid up by the buoyant economy. We learning. please send us the mailing label from It was decades gies we see today will look feeble and are, nevertheless, overdue for a surge in this newsletter and a privacy request. before the ice clumsy tomorrow because the techno- educational performance driven by the The Concord Consortium companies vanished and everyone had logical revolution is far from complete. technology—as soon as we are willing 37 Thoreau Street their own personal ice machine, called a We are only part way through funda- to make the necessary structural Concord, MA 01742 refrigerator. mental improvements in the technolo- changes. PHONE (978) 369-4367 Steam was initially viewed as a FAX (978) 371-0696 gies that enable computers and net- It is impossible to predict what new [email protected] solution to a problem for sailboats, not works. One indicator of this ongoing applications these improvements in the http://www.concord.org as a replacement for them. Steam change is “Moore’s Law,” an observa- underlying technology will enable, but

The projects described in engines were first installed on sailboats tion made in 1965 by , it is certain that the structural changes @CONCORD are supported by U.S. because of the persistent problem of several years before helping to start necessary to exploit them fully in edu- Department of Education grants time wasted in the doldrums. Only when . Moore observed then that the cation will take additional decades. R286A000006 and R203F000028, and National Science Foundation there was not enough wind would the number of transistors on a microchip Developers of educational technology grants CDA-9720384 and ESI- steam engine be fired up. In the end, of was doubling every eighteen months. are writing just the opening speech of 9986419. We also receive donations course, sail power vanished and steam Remarkably, this incredible rate of the most dramatic play educators have from corporations and individuals. All opinions, findings, conclusions, permitted faster, larger, safer, all-metal advance has remained true for thirty ever witnessed. Our grandchildren will and recommendations expressed ships that could move goods much more years, and could for another thirty. write the next intervening scenes, and herein are those of the authors and economically. This kind of exponential change their children will enjoy the finale. do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies. Mention of In the history of technology there are applies to the entire information indus- trade names, commercial products or countless examples of when a new tech- try, not just computer chips. Experts Robert Tinker is president of The organizations does not imply nology was first used to address a nar- expect these changes to continue for ten Concord Consortium. endorsement. row problem within the existing order. to twenty more years, but no one really [email protected] Only later did it overthrow the old order. knows. The result might be a trillion-

2 The Concord Consortium Why DonÕt Face-to-Face Teaching Strategies Work

In the Virtual Classroom? by Sarah Haavind How to Avoid the “Question Mill” t’s easy to say pick up the pace once again. reader demand equal SUMMARY vs LANDSCAPE that leading a But what happens when the attention. What once faded in course online same leader tries this online? and out now becomes a A sample online dialogue is different We call it the “Question cacophony of choices for the from leading a Mill.” With the intention of online participant, and the The first posting below begins with a healthy touch of whimsy on the topic of inquiry. The moderator weaves her face-to-face focusing discussion on the reader just turns off. commentary and all respondents’ notes into a metaphor I class. It’s harder salient content, the online dis- What’s the alternative? For about plucking daisies and categorizes contributions into to explain exactly what’s dif- cussion leader jumps into the starters, the assignment must “love it” and “love it NOT.” However, the summary is out of ferent and how to make the dialogue and poses three or be purposefully vague. This place considering the fine landscape the moderator set out previously. A conclusion isn’t necessary. An open door and shift in order to meet tried- four potential avenues of fur- increases the potential of elic- suspension of judgment are what the group really needs. and-true instructional goals. ther exploration. The result? iting a participant’s real think- One can fail miserably apply- There are two. The first is ing on a subject. As a few There are lots of ideas and questions about the nature of inquiry. I seem to detect what I call a “Daisy Effect.” ing the typical approach to the silence. Reading the list of postings are made to the dis- Remember the childhood ritual of plucking petals out of a virtual classroom. As more questions, the participant gets cussion, the instructor culls daisy and reciting “loves me, loves me not”? I notice a similar experience with online teach- pattern in your responses: Our current sweetheart is ing accumulates, effective, “inquiry”—and we recite “love it, love it NOT!” alternative strategies that meet We LOVE inquiry for a lot of reasons. Many of you noted that inquiry takes us beyond rote memorization. [Moderator states the intended goals are emerg- participants’ rationales for liking inquiry.] Next daisy/inquiry ing. Here are a couple of petal please … On the other hand—our sweetheart inquiry— strategies applied to two clas- we love it NOT … [Moderator gives participants’ drawbacks.] sical instructional goals: get- In summary, I sense that you feel that using inquiry is demand- ting a discussion going and ing and hard to do, but that it is worth the work since the learning and teaching are better. I think my plucking ended on summarizing an activity. a “love it” petal. What do you think? Do you agree or dis- agree? Getting a Discussion Going Below is a recrafting of the last paragraph of the posting lost after the second or third from the comments a theme How many times have you above. Can you feel the difference between the “summary” seen a course or workshop query and quickly clicks to or thread worthy of careful tone above and the “landscape” set below? Which one will leader throw out a few perti- the next posting. The second focus or deeper digging and foster further dialogue? nent questions to get a discus- result is avoidance. Five or six holds it up for the group to So what’s our bottom line? sion going, perhaps as a fol- responses appear, but they are consider. Such an intervention Love it -> Tally = 5 Love it not -> Tally = 5 low-up to a brief presentation? unrelated to one another. The might include three or four Hmmmmmm. Score tied! If the first few queries are met participant choses a different short quotes or paraphrases What our group seems to have individually and collectively with silence, most instructors query for comment. The dia- from earlier comments fol- expressed is a healthy sense of ambivalence toward inquiry. reword the question or add logue remains unfocused and lowed by a bit of explanation But … ambivalence is good! another question to spur confusing for other readers. or clarification and then a sin- If we were all “gung ho” after reading a few articles and trying response. This is a time-worn Both results quell rather than gle question to elicit more some activities, I’d be a bit suspicious! Ambivalence, skepti- face-to-face strategy because it enhance the discussion. focused dialogue. cism, and suspension of judgment is essential to a scientific can be quite effective. When a discussion leader approach, and it is always involved when we are facing a Summary vs. Landscape potential change in our thoughts and behaviors. This is an in front of a room lists four or Someone eventually poses a excellent start. response, then another hand five possible pathways of Summarizing is another goes up, and the discussion is exploration, listeners tune in strategy that can curtail rather This rewritten paragraph emphasizes the variety of responses off and rolling. Here and there to what interests them and than enhance dialogue. When and encourages exploration of the reasons why participants hold various positions about inquiry teaching. The moderator as a point is made or dialogue tune out the rest. But when it works, summarizing can compliments participants on not rushing to judgment and wanes, the leader chimes in listed on a page, all the keeps dialogue open on the topic. with a few more queries to questions confronting the (continued on page 4)

3 The Concord Consortium

Teaching Strategies continued from page 3 Facilitating Online Learning: Effective clarify and give participants a Strategies for Moderators sense of direction. It can also close doors and block paths by George Collison, Bonnie Elbaum, to alternative approaches. Sarah Haavind, Bob Tinker Summaries abstract ideas and place them in a hierarchy of Atwood Publishing meaning that the moderator http://www.atwoodpublishing.com determines. Positions can appear to harden when the d their fingers rather than their voices. moderator tries to capture How I could have used the advice them in a summary. Often, Facilitating Online Learning: Effective contained in this volume. I certainly the important nuances of rea- Strategies for Moderators is a readable will distribute it to those who are soning disappear as the mod- and valuable contribution to the rela- designing courses as well as those erator highlights the con- tively new but tremendously hot area moderators with whom I am working. tentions or assumptions of netcourses and e-learning, providing So much of online learning is scan- reflected in the comments. welcome explanations, strategies, and ning of text or streaming of lectures The Internet is transforming the educa- If a moderator wants to real examples of moderating that can with didactic instruction from the tional landscape. Substantial skills are help participants build mean- meet the needs of classroom teachers, moderator. Facilitating Online required to foster effective dialogues in ing from their discussions, a university faculty, and professional Learning is a fresh breeze in a stale any setting. The demands on the more useful intervention development staff. and humid environment. Bravo and instructor are even greater when learn- would be to summarize by Experienced and novice online thanks! ers are at distant sites. Facilitating portraying a “landscape,” educators, looking either for new tech- Inabeth Miller Online Learning distills the experience which may include multiple niques to add to their inventory or for Jason Foundation for Education of a team at The Concord Consortium. perspectives on the issues dis- strategies to improve their overall Members of this group have exten- d cussed. Maintaining a suspen- teaching in online mode will find this sive experience with learning net- sion of judgment is critical. book informative and useful. The inquiry-based approach of teach- works, dating to projects such as the The sidebar example (see ing and learning has been highly landmark National Geographic Kids Linda Harasim page 3) shows an example of Simon Fraser University praised in the business and industries Network. They have continued to both methods. The moderator at Harbour Centre training, in teachers’ education, and extend this expertise in current proj- juxtaposes participants’ com- last but not least, in school science, ects such as the International d ments, setting out a landscape mathematics and technology teaching. Netcourse Teacher Enhancement for further reflection, but cur- Facilitating Online Learning is a suc- This book describes the new profile of Coalition (INTEC), developed to sup- tails dialogue with the sum- cessful example of removing the dis- successful facilitators leading virtual port a network of teachers exploring mary at the end. tance from “distance learning.” An learning communities into guided inquiry-based science and mathemat- If you’re interested in effective moderator of online courses inquiry. ics teaching. developing effective modera- must have a repertoire of disciplined The Concord Consortium staff—the Facilitating Online Learning pro- tion techniques, see the strategies for interaction with students. authors of the book—have had a prac- vides practical advice on ways in review of the new book, This book is a roadmap for traveling tical and very successful experience in which netcourse instructors can move Facilitating Online Learning, from “wallowing in the shallows” to revolutionizing the classical teaching out of the middle and facilitate collab- at right. “reasoned discourse” with copious approaches through the use of infor- orative dialogs among online learners. examples that assist. It is not a philo- mation technologies in all these Sarah Haavind is the It is a classic guide that should be on sophical examination of strategies but domains. Netcourse Design and the bookshelf of anyone who is mod- a real “how to” in an area sorely lack- By reading Facilitating Online Moderation Specialist at The erating an online course. ing any guidelines. Learning, you are invited to share their Concord Consortium. Glen L. Bull Many years ago I “taught” an exciting stories and their important [email protected] Curry School of Education online course to thirty students across practical conclusions. University of Virginia the country. I learned how deeply per- Goery Delacote sonal people are when they speak with Exploratorium Museum

4 The Concord Consortium

Ten Things You Need To Know encouraged to “hang out,” still often limited to less than ipants’ busy schedules. All our must establish posting require- continued from page 1 share personal stories or pro- telephone speeds. NetCourses are offered on a ments, otherwise participation fessional news. With this scheduled asynchronous is spotty; when participants space for human interactions, Quality is the gold basis—participants get online find a discussion area continu- different learning styles, are 5 crucial. bonds are formed. Without it, standard based on their own schedule, ally devoid of discussion, We’ve found mixed results there are one or two It’s hard to think at daybreak with a cup of cof- there’s little reason for them to when adding a face-to-face inevitable outcomes: the of a more important issue for fee or at 3 a.m. wearing their come back. By establishing component to an online pro- social and personal creeps all NetCourses than quality. pajamas. Assignments have participation guidelines and fessional development course. into content-rich discussions, With the huge growth in weekly due dates, and partici- encouraging participant-to- When we first started INTEC, diluting their educational online course offerings, an pants must post to the discus- participant interaction, a many projects had reported potency, or teachers fail to educator might not be able to sion area throughout each NetCourse creates a commu- that it was difficult to create fully interact and the discus- separate the wheat from the week, but within those guide- nity of learners who are effective online communities sion area becomes a series of chaff of online professional lines there is freedom to work invested in the course and in of teachers, particularly at the one-way postings where par- development. Quality control when it is most convenient. A furthering not only their own secondary level. So we ticipants simply hand in work. standards are essential. The scheduled asynchronous learning but that of their hedged our bets and built in a National Content and NetCourse allows teachers classmates. Curriculum Standards that we from around the world to Too many online courses face-to-face local study group. 4 Pity the lowly In retrospect we see that the modem use for VHS was developed work unhindered by geogra- revert to the traditional “sage by a group of university-level phy, time zones, or local on the stage” model: publish- site-based team sapped online When we first distance learning experts, state scheduling constraints. ing lectures and funneling discussion and adversely started teaching online profes- department of education cur- knowledge in a one-way affected recruitment and moti- sional development courses, Talk it out riculum experts, and VHS direction, from teacher to stu- vation. We now know it’s pos- the technology environment in 7 teachers, trainers, and admin- All successful dent. Learning is dependent sible to build a strong online schools was quite different. istrators. It lists criteria for high online professional on discussion between the community without a face-to- The most common access to quality online courses. It’s development courses need a participants about the content face component. VHS teach- the Internet by our participants important to set standards and space for communication. The of the activities. The approach ers have reported this time was AOL via a modem. In constantly have them class discussions that take we developed is captured in and again. VHS has also had VHS, we found schools with a reviewed by knowledgeable place in our NetCourses are at the book Facilitating Online good results from including a single telephone modem con- experts. In INTEC, we did not the core of learning. Threaded Learning, written by a group limited face-to-face compo- nected to a network accessed adequately educate our advi- dialogues with comments, here at The Concord nent to one of their profession- by multiple computers deliv- sory boards about the criteria responses, and comments to Consortium, and taught in our al development courses. ered even poorer perform- for a good course. And we responses are displayed in a online professional develop- ance. Keeping these limita- should have solicited more chronological and logical ment course Moving Out of 3 Create a community tions in mind, INTEC included input from potential partici- order that’s easy to follow. the Middle. The goal of this A NetCourse text-based pages in its user pants about what they need- Unlike email listservs or syn- approach is to facilitate dia- experience is interface design. These may ed. Adequate needs assess- chronous chat, discussions are logue between students rather enriched when participants be faster to load, but graphics ment is a companion to quali- permanently recorded and than through the moderator. feel that they are part of a are important for demonstrat- ty control. Make sure the available to all students in one Dynamic and thoughtful community of learners, who ing a concept or illustrating a course is a good match for central location. Because interactions don’t happen are in it together. By creating a point. Even so, it’s important what the participant needs. they’re not time-bound and automatically. A facilitator is community, participants are to recognize that page-loading Find out if the potential partic- there is no need to “raise your needed to guide participants less likely to feel isolated in time is an issue. Designing for ipant has prior experience hand” to speak, participants from the side and help them the online medium. Instead, the smallest page size, creat- with online professional think about what they’re going engage in meaningful discus- they work within a support ing graphics that are com- development. A great course to say before saying it, which sion, which makes the con- structure of individuals who pressed, using animated GIFs is worthless if it addresses the gives the course greater depth. nection between the course are invested in the group’s instead of QuickTime or MOV wrong content. Participants can reply to content and their own teach- success. In addition to ice- files help speed up the tedium course content questions on ing practices. Without some breaking activities, designed to of waiting for a page to Work anywhere, 6 readings, share feelings about kind of imposed order, a dis- tap into the creativity and appear. Today, as urban anytime the process and nature of their cussion area becomes chaotic individuality of each partici- schools get wired, more band- A successful pro- learning, and respond to their and overwhelming—a space pant, we provide a place width is becoming available. fessional development colleagues’ inquiries. online where participants are Rural America, however, is NetCourse must fit into partic- The NetCourse instructor (continued on page 10)

5 The Concord Consortium

tocols allow both peer-to-peer capability is available for the Beam Me Up, Scottie! communications as well as Compaq iPaq Pocket PC by supporting TCP/IP encapsulat- using a Sierra Wireless ed traffic. This means that with AirCard 300. This is a PC card Handheld computers extend the range of the correct hardware and soft- CDPD modem and can be wireless communication in schools ware, such as the Clarinet combined with a service from EthIR LAN, a Palm or Pocket Aether Systems to provide PC can use an IR network portable email and Web mall handheld by Stephen Bannasch connection to send and access. computers are receive email and browse the Palm has licensed the becoming Web. PalmOS and underlying hard- both more The Palm VII series intro- ware designs to a number of powerful and duced CDPD wireless WAN other manufacturers who have less expensive. capability. This supports wide- extended the platform in inter- S Consider this: area wireless LAN communi- esting ways. Handspring the cheapest handheld mod- cation in most metropolitan makes the PalmOS Visor sys- els, currently priced at $150 to areas of the U.S., using a tem with the Springboard $600, are similar in comput- small portion of the analog expansion interface slot. This ing power to a 1988 vintage cellular phone system allocat- is an expansion slot on the Mac. (Of course that Mac ed to digital packet data. back of the system into which didn’t run for weeks on a cou- Nominal bandwidth is 19,200 many different modules can ple of AAA batteries.) By com- Symbol has created rugged systems with integrated bar code scanners bps but practical speed is be attached. The interface is bining much of the computing and 802.11 2-Mbps wireless communication. It comes with a about 4800 bps. This is one electrically quite similar to power of a desktop system high-capacity rechargeable lithium-ion battery. sixth the rate of a 28,800 bps that of a PC card slot on a lap- with the portability of a graph- modem. While this may seem top and as such is a much ing calculator, handhelds The PalmOS family of Ethernet to communicate over quite slow, it compares well to more powerful interface than could become the first truly handheld computers as well a local area network. When the capability of an alphanu- a serial port. Springboard used by as the more expensive Pocket selecting a system for use in a meric two-way pager. In addi- modules not only include students both in and out of PC systems running Microsoft school, it is also important to tion, services like AvantGo hardware expansion but also school. CE v3.0 include several meth- remember that only the will cut out the extraneous have the programs for access- Currently most systems are ods for communicating with PalmOS family will work with content of web sites and make ing the hardware built into the designed as personal and external devices, other com- MacOS computers. them available without all the module. Handspring has business organizers. The exist- puters and over a network. No The simplest wireless net- graphics. Unfortunately for extended the PalmOS so that ing suite of applications needs common standard has been working is based on IR com- school use, the monthly serv- when a Springboard module is to be adapted and new ones adopted, so each device uses munications. All the CE ice cost is fifty dollars for inserted, the software associat- created in order to optimize a slightly different method for Pocket PCs include this. unlimited usage. ed with it is automatically run. these systems for student use. this kind of communication. Starting with the Palm III, it A similar wireless WAN Additionally, the Handspring The best designs will also The implications for schools was included on Palm sys- includes a high-speed USB include low-power wireless include capability, flexibility tems. This allows applications slave interface for communi- networking to support ubiqui- and price. Let’s look at the or data to be easily beamed cation. This replaces the serial tous communication and choices. directly from one handheld to port on the Palm and allows practical solutions for working All systems include a basic another handheld of the same much faster communication with devices such as probes RS-232 serial port, and all but type. with newer computers that and cameras. the most ancient Palms IR communication uses a have standard USB ports. Currently I’m reviewing the include wireless IR communi- narrow focused beam of mod- Xircom has announced that communications and expan- cations. Some of the hand- ulated infrared light to transfer a series of networking prod- sion capabilities of the helds can use USB to connect data. It is line-of-sight, which Casio’s Cassiopeia handheld is ucts called SpringPorts will be PalmOS and Windows CE and synchronize data with a means it won’t go around cor- not wireless yet, but they have a available this fall for the Visor. compact flash expansion slot Pocket PC platforms, but with- desktop computer; however, ners or through walls and the These include two different normally used for memory in the next year I also expect a none of the systems allows range extends to approximate- expansion that they say by some- wireless RF LAN technologies. number of interesting hand- connection of USB devices to ly one meter. IR communica- time this fall could be used for One is the new high-speed 11 held systems to appear based the handheld. A few systems tions is based on the IrDA net- wireless Ethernet expansion. Mbps version of wireless on GNU/Linux. are capable of using a wireless working protocols. These pro-

6 The Concord Consortium

Ethernet called 802.11b consumption the Palm devices CE systems come in many have CF wireless Ethernet (802.11 is the older 2 Mbps transmit using only a 0-5 volt different form factors, of cards available some time JASON standard). The second is based range. Without handshaking which three are useful in later this year. on the new emerging the Palm devices support schools. The Pocket PC is The HP Jornada is similar to Academy short range, very communication speeds of basically a pumped-up Palm. the Casio and comes with a low power wireless RF net- 2400 bps. However, if the RTS It is a handheld with a small CF expansion port. However, New Online working technology. The and CTS hand-shaking signals vertically oriented screen they have not announced Courses for 802.11 wireless Ethernet is are used, 115,200 bps is without a keyboard. wireless Ethernet capability Teachers well established and is a possible. Additionally, there is a hand- yet. Suport Science mature technology. It has a 2 If you plan on building or held clamshell form. This The Compaq iPaq comes Education Mbps nominal bandwidth and adapting devices to connect to includes a horizontally orien- with neither a CF nor a PC usually a 50-meter range from the Palm serial port it is best tated screen as well as a very expansion slot. But you can fter Dr. Robert Bal- a wireless hub. These systems to buy the HotSync cable for small keyboard. Lastly, there is purchase an expansion “jack- lard discovered the are designed to use much less the model of Palm you have. a CE family, similar to a small et” that slips over the body A RMS Titanic sitting power than wireless Ethernet This is a cable that connects laptop, that includes a full- to add either expansion port. on the bottom of the ocean, and also communicate over to the Palm and terminates in sized keyboard and a Compaq makes the WL100 the explorer and oceanogra- shorter ranges. Bluetooth and 802.11b 11 Mbps wireless pher received thousands of devices are just starting to Ethernet PC card that works letters from students wanting appear on the market. with the PC card jacket. to join the next expedition. In Symbol has also licensed Ubiquitous low-power response, he founded the JA- PalmOS, the Visor system wireless networking will make SON Project, a science, geog- from Handspring, and all these systems much more raphy and environmental edu- Windows CE from Microsoft. interesting for use by students; cation program, supported by Around these hardware and however, the educational mar- the JASON Foundation for Ed- software platforms they have ket is not large enough to ucation. The project has been created rugged systems with drive the technological praised as a leader in distance integrated bar code scanners advance by itself. Wireless learning for students and and 802.11 2-Mbps wireless Ethernet systems are practical teachers alike. Ethernet communication. In but moderately expensive and In September 2001, the JA- order to support the increased power hungry. Wireless sys- SON Foundation will start a power consumption of these The Palm allows wireless networking between devices. tems based on Bluetooth tech- new venture, the JASON accessories, the Symbol nology appearing this year Academy, which will provide comes with a high-capacity should be cheaper, smaller, online professional develop- rechargeable lithium-ion a standard female DB-9 con- 640x480 pixel screen. and use less power. The busi- ment courses for teachers of battery. nector for a PC serial port. The Casio E-115, the ness and home market should science. The Concord Consor- All members of the Palm This should be adaptable to Compaq iPaq H-3600 and the be large enough within the tium is helping the JASON family of handheld computers any device with a serial inter- HP Jornada 548 are Pocket PC next two years to enable suc- Academy create probe-based come with an RS-232 serial face. Palm also supplies a systems. All three systems cessful adaptation for educa- activities for those courses, port. This is the default port Mac adaptor for this cable that come with serial ports and tion uses. which will be for middle- that connects to the Palm cra- terminates in a mini-DIN-8 IrDA networking built in. grade science teachers. Online dle and is used for download- adaptor. The Casio supports a com- Stephen Bannasch is director courses in earth systems, ma- ing applications and synching A more powerful handheld pact flash expansion slot, as of technology for The rine science, and energy will data with a larger computer. system than the Palm family is well as IR and serial port net- Concord Consortium. include activities related to the The serial port can also be one based on the latest working, and a 16-bit color [email protected] use of temperature, light, and used to communicate with version 3.0 release of screen. Compact Flash (CF) is voltage SmartProbes™ . external serial interface Windows CE from Microsoft. an expansion interface analo- devices such as GPS systems Typically these systems have gous to a PC card interface For more information, contact and probeware. four times the memory and but smaller. It can be used to Stephen Bannasch. True RS-232 communica- much faster processors than expand the memory of a sys- [email protected] tion specifies that data is the Palm family. The latest tem. IBM even has a tiny 300 transmitted using a ±9-12 volt Pocket PC models range in MB hard drive, which can be signal. To minimize power price from $500-600. attached. Casio expects to

7 The Concord Consortium The Future of Handheld Computers in Education A conversation with Palm, Inc.

Through her research at of a button and a tap of the vidual student artifacts that can ing at it in the form of a graph screen, students record their be shared with classmates. you can look at it as a table as The Concord Consortium, thoughts or enter the results of a well. You can easily put a handheld in Carolyn Staudt has become survey. Simple snap-on devices the hands of six or seven students CS Often students have to col- excited about the educational allow the students to record pho- for the price of one desktop com- lect data in a traditional laborato- uses of handheld computers. tographs, GPS locations, or even puter. My dream is to put hand- ry or classroom activity. The les- She spoke with Mike Lorion, temperature and heart rates any- helds in the hands of all kids so son centers around the collection time, anyplace. With infrared or Vice President for Education they can connect to the Web any- of the data and not the analysis of wireless capabilities, these tools at Palm, Inc., about the future time. I want to see collaboration that data. By using the handheld can become their link between with students from around the computer, the students can do so of handhelds in the other student researchers and world. As a former teacher, I much more. They can explain classroom and some of the experts on the Web. directly on the device what they challenges ahead. guarantee that the added value of ML Right. The other part personal exploration and expo- see, display and manipulate the of it, though, is how sure to more diverse environ- data in different ways, while still do we make teachers ments will provide a more mean- recording their thoughts and pre- Carolyn Staudt Mike, as you feel comfortable ingful educational experience for dictions. They can instantly per- and I know, new handheld tech- enough with the teachers and students. form another activity to prove nologies are finding a place in technology so they truly their assumptions. This opens the ML Guaranteed. Traditionally, education. I’ve been doing use it all the time? door to true problem solving. Just the way the desktop applications research on using handhelds in imagine that these questions can CS First, you have to have been used is a student really grade schools and middle schools now be asked wherever the stu- change the role of the has to get on there and do some- for several years, and the results dents are…in the grocery store, in teacher in the classroom. thing for twenty minutes. Now are exciting. Coupled with inex- the car, at a family reunion, at a When you empower students you’ve taken a third of the class pensive networks, handheld com- Handhelds are being used by sports event, wherever. The stu- K-12 students to do scientific with their own personal collec- time. We think, though, with our puters are enabling students to dents are asking “What if” ques- experiments inside the tion, research, and collaboration package of technology—just the carry their own personal tools of tions and instantly acting on classroom and in the field. tools, their educational experi- mobility aspect alone—we think inquiry everywhere—class, them. ence expands beyond the we can do a lot for learning school, home. Kids can use them teacher-centered classroom. The around that. Many teachers are afraid of in the classroom or take them out Now, if we could finally get to role of the teacher shifts to one allowing a handheld computer in the field! Since they’re CS I was at a presentation the point where in classrooms that is more meaningful. Teachers into a classroom test. I remember equipped with a drawing pro- where someone complained that students could show the same become true mentors that help when the American Chemical gram and a facility for taking every student was required to get affection to learning as they do to students learn through their own Society made students memorize notes, they’re able to link together a TI calculator and now they’re games. Students have already experiences and ask their own the periodic table on their year- the student’s own thoughts and going to have to buy a Palm. gone to handhelds for that stuff. questions. You encourage them to end standardized tests. That no questions. Handhelds provide an They saw it as an add-on, when it Six million Game Boys sold in think. Foremost in all of the cur- longer happens. What’s more integrated system of inquiry. actually could replace that calcu- this country last year, six million. riculum standards that exist in our important—understanding the lator. And it’s better because of trends that exist on a periodic Mike Lorion I think the tech- If we think our screen is small, country is the promotion of the note taking capability and all table or memorizing the atomic nology goals of the country, so to we have a 3x advantage. inquiry. the beaming that can happen numbers and weights? No, a speak, map very well to what One way to support this new role The trouble I saw in the ten years with it. handheld won’t be allowed into we’re doing. There are some for teachers is to provide them that I was doing technology an AP test as of right now. But if pieces of research that say that with handhelds. Give the teachers ML You can do the same thing schools at Apple was that you still you teach kids how to think students and faculty are taking to themselves the tool that will with a Palm as with a graphing have to get past the booting and about challenging questions, not individual-type devices—whether change the focus of their class- calculator, but what I can’t do you still have to get past the prob- just memorize answers, it doesn’t that be single-use devices like cell rooms. But there is something with a graphing calculator is get lems. Versus, I press the button, it matter how much information phones, or graphing calculators. more important. That is introduc- an image that’s really defined by comes on, I do things. you have stored on a handheld. The content is in a form now ing teachers to teaching strate- the size of the screen. I can also where it can be easily accessible CS With PCs there are too gies—ones that use handheld do animations, so if I was doing a ML Let’s look inside a kid's because it has been brought to many steps in order to get con- applications—that match their mathematical problem, I could backpack. Kids carry around a this network base infrastructure. nected to their stored materials. existing course objectives and check sine waves and frequency. year’s worth of curriculum in And the infrastructure to deliver it Handhelds provide a personal curriculum. These strategies are I can actually do a simulation of their backpack in the form of to the students is there based on tool that enables students to have alternatives to lectures. They this based on the animation tools bound paper. They’ve got a num- what’s happening with the wiring an immediate reservoir for their allow teachers to encourage the that we’ve put in. Then you can ber of different other tools that of the classrooms and the e-rate. experiences. With a simple push collection and research of indi- take the data and instead of look- they use. It’s a huge communica-

8 The Concord Consortium tions vehicle. When you think of Now here, I think, is the big idea. So what are we doing in the ML But it’s focused on a lot of ML The number one thing we the permission slips and the notes Let’s assume that first of all we’ve future? Obviously, better color, the existing curriculum, right? get complaints about is the size of to parents and all these things got this server. And on this server expandability. We’ll have little the screen. CS Right. that go back and forth, it’s pretty we have to make sure there’s postage stamp cards you’ll be CS I was told it was not the much how the school communi- every student and their “locker.” able to plug in, because for some ML In partnership with under-size screen but the key- cates to parents outside of the Outside of files being stored and functions like the encyclopedia Scholastic we gave five kids board—kids’ motor abilities twice-a-year parent-teacher those kinds of things for each one and dictionary, you want to have Palms VIIs with keyboards and would not allow them to use it. conference. of the students, what’s the other it all there and you want it to be sent them to the Republican and But then I went to a second grade most important information that very quick. I don’t want to get it Democratic conventions as Now, when you look at the digi- classroom and the kids had they have? It’s what they have to from the Web. reporters. They could upload their tal landscape, at all the things that absolutely no problems with the do. Every student has a calendar stories to Scholastic for publica- are happening, the handheld CS So how do you respond to size of the screen. Now, whether that deals with multiple courses, tion on the Web. computer is communication, but the equity issue? What are you it’s color or not does make a dif- multiple teachers, and multiple it’s also infotainment, edutain- going to do about kids whose ference to them. activities. I want a way that CS See, that’s what I call col- ment, whatever you might want parents can’t afford the devices? laboration. The mobility and the I’m going to jump back, because I to call it. It should handle lots of beaming are by far the most pow- ML Rather than us discounting remembered another problem these functions to the degree that Microsoft erful reason why I want to put every one of our products by ten with the handhelds in classrooms people really need them. Obvi- them in kids’ hands. percent, I’d rather grant the is batteries. Anything you put in ously they’re not going to be the talks a lot schools extra units with their pur- the hands of students has to be ultimate video camera, but you ML Of course you’re not going chase in order to meet the needs rechargeable because teachers or can use it as a video camera. You to sit down and write your whole about of the students who can’t afford parents cannot keep up with the can plug in a camera and do an report on the Palm, but it comple- them. batteries. And it becomes an okay version of a digital camera. “anywhere, anytime” ments all the other multimedia equity problem again because it’s There are a lot of things that you tools. CS In one of our projects, par- expensive. can do around this technology. kind of networking. ents who want to buy a Palm can CS Concerning writing on the ML We’re moving to all On the content side there are a buy it outright. If they want to Palm, second graders in one of What the handheld rechargeable. ton of things going on as far as rent it, the rent is low. But if that’s my research classes felt a lot bet- impossible, the child can use an ter working on the Palm to write. what’s available. CS That’s great. But to wrap brings is the institutional Palm from a class- I was having them just use the up, let’s just say that the most CS Many of the applications room set. They’re not going to memo pad, but they were all important challenge to using that already exist on handhelds restrict any child from having using the on-screen keyboard anyone. handhelds in the classroom is to provide lots of organizational one. without the stylus. They were develop meaningful strategies. capabilities—spreadsheets, data- using their two thumbs, like a Teachers, students and parents bases, alternative displays for students, when they go to a web ML If you look at some of the Game Boy. According to the need to be reassured that the soft- data. On top of this, the portable interface, can say here are the studies we’ve done around the teacher, the writing capability in ware that goes onto to the hand- and beamable ability of the hand- four classes that I’m taking, here usage of handhelds overall, and that class improved from the year held makes kids think and helps helds allow students to capture is my extramural activity, here’s we’ve been doing this for a while, before. them learn. information in context and share my sports activity, here’s my one of the things that’s pretty ML What do you think with it with others. Educational soft- personal stuff, now give me an apparent is that people tend to use handhelds somewhere lower-grade kids is the number ware is being developed that integrated calendar. For more information about the between ten to fifteen times a day one problem as far as using Palms allows students to record their use of handheld computers and CS That is exactly what one of but for two to three minutes per in the classroom? own personal ecological foot- probes in education, visit: our the schools I work with is doing. usage. prints, breed their own species of CS Durability. When you take web site probesight.concord.org Parents can come to the school’s fish in a simulated pond—and those kids out to the playground or contact Carolyn Staudt at web site at any time and see what CS Because they’re using them even beam fish to or from another and they accidentally drop one, The Concord Consortium. their kids are doing every single as organizers. student’s pond! They can calcu- they’re devastated. For younger [email protected] day in class. late statistical results from an on- ML But I think based on that kids it’s got to the-spot poll. And that’s just for ML If I’m a parent with several kind of usage pattern it’s much be durable. starters. I don’t think people know kids, I can go to my Palm and easier to adapt to the existing cur- these things exist. find out when my kids’ home- riculum. You don’t have to figure work is due, what permission out how to get students to sit The Palm ML From a networking stand- slips have to be signed. This is down for twenty minutes in order attaches to a point, what we’ve been able to what will revolutionize communi- to incorporate it into the curricu- portable key- do with HotSync server really board for easier cation between teacher and stu- lum. gives the ability for the handheld text entry. dent and parent. It can really to fit very nicely in the networked CS With data logging and the make that triangle get much bet- architecture of a school. You have note taking and drawing, kids do ter. the ability to communicate with twenty minutes plus. It’s hard to email servers, administrative Microsoft talks a lot about “any- get them in and out in a 45- applications, and databases that thing, anywhere” kind of net- minute period. In fact, you want include student records, but also working. What the handheld them to continue even outside of to content. brings is the “anyone.” class, in their world.

9 The Concord Consortium

Telecommunications Project Things You Need To Know both hallmarks of a good Using trained moderators continued from page 5 NetCourse. allows us to build a support for Math Education Funded Each type of software used structure without adding to Online video case studies provide where few have the energy or to deliver a course online has operational costs. interactive professional development motivation to participate. its own unique system for Theoretically, it would evaluation and assessment. seem possible to amortize Learn it together Make sure the one you course costs over time by con- he U.S. Depart- Mass., and TeachScape in 8 A new creativity is choose provides the assess- tinuing to offer the same ment of Education New York, who provides on- often generated from ment needs you require. course repeatedly, but realisti- has announced line teacher professional NetCourse participants collab- Software that allows all work cally, any online professional T the funding of an development. orating in team activities that to be collected and stored in a development course worth its innovative telelcommunica- The project will develop six emphasize making decisions, centralized, searchable data- salt is evaluating feedback and tions project that uses the highly interactive online digi- defining teammates’ roles, and base is handy because it making changes on a regular Internet to deliver online pro- tal video case studies, which creating a final product allows the instructor and par- basis. So developing creative fessional development in the will be made available free to together. Sample group activi- ticipant to access a permanent ways to scale while at the use of standards-based mathe- teachers. Video case studies, ties include participants work- record of work in one loca- same time keeping costs down matics approaches to grades when properly supported, are ing in pairs to review each tion. The instructor can easily is important. four and five math teachers. far more effective in improv- other’s work, small group dis- sort and search to find prob- The greatest challenge gen- ing teaching techniques than What’s Next? cussions, solving a mystery lem areas, samples of best erated by the new mathemat- abstract discussions or read- based on instructor clues, work, and powerful evidence Here at The Concord ics standards is that effective ings on how to teach. A video writing a report together, or of how a student’s thinking Consortium we’re working implementation requires shows an entire environment creating a web page or has changed and progressed with the Jason Foundation for teachers to make fundamental and explains how to respond PowerPoint presentation as a over time. Education to create probe- changes in teaching practice, to typical student issues. team. Like the mix of offline based activities for profession- acquire a deeper understand- Online video case studies can and online activities, a suc- 10 Build it to scale al development courses for ing of content, and become be made highly interactive by middle grade science teach- cessful online course must One of our objec- familiar with technology. It is linking them to lesson plans, ers. At the Curry School at the include both independent tives has been to deliver pro- likely that much of the current student work, relevant stan- University of Virginia and work and teamwork. While fessional development courses backlash against the standards dards and assessments, back- Peabody College at Vanderbilt independent study alone is a at a rate less than that of a tra- is fueled by examples of poor ground content, expert com- University, we are providing viable option for education in ditional face-to-face program. implementation by unpre- mentary, teacher reflection, faculty development netsemi- certain circumstances, a A key to doing this is scalabili- pared teachers. If the nation is and moderated online discus- nars. Our newest project, the course is a course precisely ty—growing without creating to benefit from the increased sion groups. Seeing Math Telecommunica- because of the collaboration everything from scratch each student mathematics learning Busy teachers need ways tions Project, will deliver between learners involved. time. One of the ways we promised by the new stan- of upgrading their teaching teacher professional develop- have done this is by using dards, and for the standards to strategies that are available ment using video case studies. Tell me how I’m moderators for the online dis- function as intended, an inten- anytime, anywhere. Because 9 Only four years ago these doing cussion. The pyramid structure sive teacher professional the Internet is increasingly kinds online courses were vir- Assessment in our we’ve used, with expert mod- development effort is urgently able to handle video on tually unheard of. Today professional development erators providing support to needed. demand, online case studies they’re an essential part of courses is based on participa- groups of cohort moderators, In response to this need, and courses provide a cost- professional development tion and completion of assign- works and is less expensive The Concord Consortium is effective way of providing education. leading and coordinating the alternatives. ments. Because participants than using course experts to can feel estranged in an moderate. Moderators are not Seeing Math Telecommunica- Cynthia McIntyre and Bonnie online course, providing time- experts in the field, but facili- tions Project on behalf of a For more information about Elbaum are co-facilitators for ly evaluations of work is criti- tators trained in course moder- consortium of private and the Seeing Math the Netcourse Instructional cal. Weekly or bi-weekly eval- ation. Our experience with public partners who have ex- Telecommunications Project, Methodologies course. uations are essential. Private online professional develop- tensive experience in telecom- contact Alvaro Galvis. [email protected] discussion threads provide fur- ment courses, such as Moving munications and mathematics [email protected] [email protected] education. Partners include ther opportunities for dis- Out of the Middle, proves COMAP, a mathematics edu- cussing evaluations. Peer feed- moderators can be trained to cation group in Lexington, back and self-assessment are support an online course.

10 The Concord Consortium

WWW resources in this issue

The Concord Consortium www.concord.org Why Don’t Fact-to-Face Teaching Beam Me Up, Scottie! [email protected] Strategies Work in the Virtual Handheld Computers Extend the Range Classroom? of Wireless Communication in Schools How to Avoid the “Question Mill” by Stephen Bannasch Ten Things You Need to Know: by Sarah Haavind Bluetooth Advice for Creating Quality Online Books by Concord Consortium www.bluetooth.com Professional Development www.concord.org/books by Cynthia McIntyre and Bonnie Elbaum Casio Facilitating Online Learning, www.casio.com International Netcourse Teacher Enhancement published by Atwood Coalition www.atwoodpublishing.com Clarinet IrDA Ethernet bridge intec.concord.org www.clarinetsys.com/Product_Overview.html Moving Out of the Middle Virtual High School™ ccservices.concord.org/moom Compaq vhs.concord.org www.compaq.com Curry School at University of Virginia curry.edschool.virginia.edu Handspring Facilitating Online Learning: Effective www.handspring.com Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology Strategies for Moderation www.pt3.org Hewlett Packard Atwood Publishing www.hp.com Peabody College at Vanderbilt University www.atwoodpublishing.com peabody.vanderbilt.edu/peabody Palm Hardware Development Books by Concord Consortium www.palmos.com/dev/tech/palmhardware/ Horizon Research, Inc. www.concord.org/books/fol www.horizon-research.com PalmOS Hardware Comparison Matrix: Moving Out of the Middle COMAP www.palmos.com/dev/tech/hardware/compare.html ccservices.concord.org/moom www.comap.com Palm Hardware Page—Unoffical TeachScape www.massena.com/darrin/pilot/luiz/hardware.htm www.teachscape.com/about.html The Future of Handhelds in Education: Pocket PC Home Page The Jason Foundation A Conversation with Palm, Inc. www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/default.asp www.jason.org Palm, Inc ProbeSight: Handhelds and Sensors www.palm.com probesight.concord.org ProbeSight: Handhelds and Sensors Sierra Wireless probesight.concord.org Jason Academy: www.sierrawireless.com New Online Courses for Teachers Support Science Education Symbol Technologies www.symbol.com The Jason Foundation Telecommunication Project for Science www.jason.org Education Funded Xircom www.xircom.com COMAP www.comap.com

TeachScape www.teachscape.com/about.html

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InquiryWorks! Real Teachers, Real Stories Frontline stories and explorations about the challenge and excitement of bringing inquiry teaching to classrooms across the country.

Published by The Concord Consortium www.concord.org “Inquiry in the classroom and the student-centered, open-questioning environment it entails ISBN 0-615-11195-5 $15.00 can prove challenging for teachers. To teach using inquiry, teachers need first to experience for themselves what inquiry actually means and then carefully build their capacity to teach with inquiry-based curriculum.”

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